Tervel Zamfirov triumphed in the parallel giant slalom at the Snowboard World Cup in Bansko and recorded his first career victory at this level, BTA reports. The 2025 world champion in parallel slalom added another prestigious award to his card after defeating Austrian Fabian Obman in the final. The Bulgarian was competing on the less favorable red course of the “Alberto Tomba“ slope, but managed to be faster by 0.15 seconds and caused a stormy ovation among the audience in Bansko.
The joy for the hosts became even greater thanks to Radoslav Yankov's third place. In the small final, he defeated the German Yannick Angenend, who was the fastest in the qualifiers.
The two Bulgarian representatives faced each other in the semifinals, which prevented them from competing for gold in a direct final. The duel between them was decided dramatically at the very end, after Yankov fell in the last meters.
Previously, both Zamfirov and Yankov reached the top 4 after impressive victories in the elimination phase. In the round of 16, Yankov eliminated the leader in the overall standings Aaron Mark from Italy, while Zamfirov dealt with the three-time world champion and winner in Bansko last season Andreas Promeger. Both Bulgarians skied on the faster blue course in sunny conditions at Banderishka Polyana.
In the quarterfinals, Yankov eliminated Olympic champion Benjamin Karl of Austria, while Zamfirov took advantage of a mistake by world champion Maurizio Bormolini and also advanced.
Zamfirov's victory is only the second for a Bulgarian snowboarder in a World Cup start in Bansko after Radoslav Yankov's success in 2017. Bulgaria has now achieved five podium finishes here, with Yankov also having third place since 2025.
The overall World Cup standings are led by Aaron Mark with 455 points, followed by Maurizio Bormolini with 446 and Benjamin Karl with 425. Tervel Zamfirov is in eighth place with 228 points, and Radoslav Yankov is 12th with 217.
In the parallel giant slalom standings, the leader is Karl with 367 points, ahead of Mark with 350 and Bormolini with 314. Yankov and Zamfirov are in eighth and ninth place, respectively, with 191 and 190 points.